Democracy
What does the Fourth of July mean to you? To me, being slightly cynical, one thing it means is a triumph of branding. July 4th = Independence. And Independence = Freedom. Who could be against that? Well, some African-Americans, who note that “independence” did not apply to most Black people in America.
Culture
If I tell you subjects covered by the novel include incest, rape, racial hate, adolescent sex, physical abuse, the F-word, the N-word and pedophelia, would you think it is suitable for children? A selection of some banned books (Illustration: PBS) The book that has been “banned” in some school districts
Education
If I were on the U.S. Supreme Court -- never an ambition of mine -- I would allow race, among many other factors, to be considered for college admission, or a job, or anything else. I might also take into account religion, region of the country, age, gender, and
Culture
Legendary DJ Jerry Blavat entered the gates of heaven in January at 82. Down on earth Wednesday night, Philadelphia named a portion of Broad Street “Jerry Blavat Way.” Broad is the city’s main artery, and for six decades, Jerry was the city’s musical heart. A two-hour dance party
Journalism
Here’s a good example of bad journalism, breaking several rules, including guilt by association, and all but silencing an important opposing view — from an organization under attack. It concerns the convention in Philadelphia starting Thursday of the national group called Moms for Liberty. The Inquirer has carried several stories,
Friendship
This is the second memorial I am writing for Gordon Lattey, my second most-tenured friend, and my most important mentor, who died Sunday, peacefully, when his heart gave out at 85. The first time was in 1961, as I recall, when he blew out a lung cheering for Navy in
AI
I finally got a chance -- free trial subscription -- to try out ChatGPT, and I am impressed, with serious reservations. I started by asking who is winning the war against Ukraine, and AI said it doesn’t have contemporary information, that details are incomplete, that the battle is political
Culture
“Children are not casual guests in our home. They have been loaned to us temporarily for the purpose of loving them and instilling a foundation of values on which their future lives will be built.” This quote by James Dobson suggests, quite apart from love, parents have the responsibility for
Government
I’m jumping the gun a wee bit here, hanging the garland of praise around the neck of Gov. Josh Shapiro before his announced noon Friday opening of I-95 in Northeast Philly. Gov. Josh Shapiro: Portrait of a man in charge. (Photo: The Business Journals) That is under his original
Racism
District Attorney Larry Krasner, my least favorite elected official, piggybacking on Juneteenth, issued a report saying that Philadelphia’s justice system has a disproportionate impact on Black people, and that impact is negative. The report, “Racial Injustice Report: Disparities in Philadelphia’s Courts from 2015 to 2022,” studied more than
Nostalgia
When Thomas Wolfe wrote “You can never go home again,” that was a metaphor, meaning that nostalgia sprays golden dust over our memories, causing us to remember things with a much brighter hue than they actually enjoyed. Going home could be cruel, a rude awakening. The first place I ever
Culture
Did you read the news today? Oh, boy. I feel fine because arguably the world’s most influential band — disbanded since 1970 — will release a record later this year, complete with the voice of John Lennon, deceased since 1980. You say you want a revolution? This is according to a